Perfect Attunement
by Saffronica612
Summary: Cyclonis and Dark Ace meet up in the Far Side and plot to take down the Storm Hawks. The only problem? To have perfect attunement, one needs to be perfectly in love! Takes place right after Cyclonia Rising, Part 2. MC/DA, slight A/P
1. Prologue

Author's Note: I was watching Cyclonia Rising, Parts 1 and 2 again, when this idea hit me. I though, how cool would that be?

This takes place after Cyclonia Rising, Part 2, as if all the things in the episode happened except for the fact that the Dark Ace is not killed, only transported to the Far Side, too.

I do not own the Storm Hawks. If I did, there would probably be way too much romance, Cyclonis would win every time, and Season 3 would already be up and running!

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Master Cyclonis was cold, tired, hungry, and overall miserable, but she kept trudging on. She had seen a fire in this valley, and if it was who she thought it was, her life was about to get a lot easier.

One more ridge, and she was there. It was his familiar form: tall, muscular, the black hair. The Dark Ace had survived, and he had been transported to the Far Side by the huge blast of energy. "Hey," she said tiredly.

He whirled around, and she was surprised to see anger, not the usual respect, in his crimson eyes. His blade came out. "The only reason you're alive right now is that I need your Binding powers to defeat the Storm Hawk brats," he growled.

She cursed herself for misjudging his anger. The last thing she needed was rebellion from her most trusted Talon. She was cold and tired, and she wanted to sit down at his campfire, not fight him.

She let her cloak fall to the ground and whirled her staff, blasting him backwards. "Remember your place, Dark Ace," she hissed, lifting him in the air with her crystal energy. She threw him to the ground.

"Yes, Master," he grumbled. He stood up, dusting himself off, and sat back down next to his fire. Cyclonis stood awkwardly for a few seconds, then, realizing that she wasn't going to get an invitation, sat down next to him. He reluctantly handed her a bowl of stew.

In other circumstances, she would have been disgusted by the coarse fare, but she hadn't eaten in days, so she eagerly gulped it down. Dark Ace silently watched her eat.

When she was done, he took back the bowl, cleaned it, and packed it back up. She sat staring into the fire.

"So those Storm Hawks beat us again," he began. She didn't reply. "I'm going to get another shot at them, right?"

She glared at him. "Sure, we can fight them as many times as we want, until we're tired of being defeated and barely getting away. That's all that will happen, you know!"

His eyes flashed. "I could beat that stupid brat if you wouldn't keep failing at Binding!"

Cyclonis cast down her eyes. "That's the problem," she whispered. "I'll never be as good at Binding as that stupid girl Piper. I'll never reach Perfect Attunement."

"I don't see why not," Dark Ace replied. "You're already a superior Crystal Mage."

"Dark Ace," she said softly, "to reach perfect attunement with someone, you both have to be in love. Completely and totally in love."

The Dark Ace reeled back in surprise. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't that.

"Aerrow and Piper are in love. Can't we use that against them?" Dark Ace asked.

"No," Cyclonis replied. "We don't have the power to defeat them and kidnap one. With their Perfect Attunement, they're unbeatable."

The Dark Ace sat in silence for a minute, but there was only one conclusion to reach. "Then we'll just have to find our own Perfect Attunement," he said, bringing his face close to hers.

Cyclonis scooted back. "Dark Ace…" she warned.

"What?" he asked, smirking. "You're willing to destroy Terra Atmosia to get those Storm Hawks, and you're afraid of one kiss?"

She stood abruptly. "I'm going to sleep," she said. "You can take first watch, or whatever, but I want to be alone."

The Far Side was strange and beautiful. The sky had so many stars, and the nights weren't as dark. Piper had been there for only two days, and she was already in love with it.

She felt great. After two weeks of being sick, tired, and miserable for every waking moment, she was back to normal. In fact, she was better than normal; she felt more cheerful and energized than ever before.

The team noticed, too. It wasn't that she was any less strict or responsible, but now, she giggled along with Finn at his jokes before she ordered him to be quiet, and she hadn't complained once at Junko's cooking.

Stork thought that the Binding was turning her crazy, and that she was doomed. She giggled at that one, too.

Aerrow had been way less distant than usual. With their skimmers in reconstruction, it was they who had to fly around looking for Cyclonis. As fun as it was to ride the skimmers, Piper had grown to love the free feeling of soaring through the air with her favorite Sky Knight. She thought that Aerrow did, too, but she wasn't sure.

She had never really been sure what he thought of her: was she just a friend, or like a sister? But she did know how she felt about him; ever since she had first laid eyes on him, she had been in love.

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So that's the prologue. If you all like it, I'll continue…I think it has the potential to become a cute story. There's only one way to know: REVIEW!!!


	2. Control

Author's Note: I want to thank Helliexx, the only person who actually reviewed, for, well, reviewing. I wasn't sure if I was going to continue, but, now I am! If you're one of those people who just read it and are too lazy to press the button on the bottom, then please overcome your laziness for the sake of a spoiled author!

I do not own the Storm Hawks.

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Dark Ace looked down on the sleeping form of his Master. It had been fifteen minutes since she had dropped the bomb on "Perfect Attunement," and he was just feeling confused.

He had to fall in love to defeat Aerrow. Wasn't that a bit contradictory?

He looked down at his slumbering Master again. She looked younger when she slept, happier. Now that he thought about it, it shouldn't be too hard. She was smart, powerful, and respected. He was willing to serve her, and give his life for her. That was a start, wasn't it?

He looked down at her again. In a dark way, she was quite beautiful, actually. Her hair shone, silky and smooth, and her skin was perfectly clear. She had delicate features, and such a small body. Now that he thought about it, she really was stunning.

She shivered, and he realized the small, threadbare blanket that he had in his emergency kit wasn't going to be enough to keep her warm in the night. Moving without thinking, he laid himself next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She instinctually moved closer to him, snuggling next to him. Looking at her peaceful face, he realized that she hadn't woken.

He wanted to protect her. He wanted to keep her warm. That was a start, wasn't it?

Sunlight streamed through the crack in the tent across Master Cyclonis's face. She woke, warm, comfortable, and well-rested. For a minute, she forgot everything that had happened in the past month and just enjoyed this strange feeling that she could barely remember ever experiencing before. Was it happiness? It was content, she decided.

It took her about three minutes to realize that the air on her face was chilly. Her eyes flew open. She was on Dark Ace's chest.

Suddenly, everything that had been said the night before came back to her. She leapt back in surprise.

A pair of strong arms caught her and pulled her back. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who laid awake, eyes closed in the morning. She tried unsuccessfully to twist herself out of his grip, but to no avail. She had absolutely no control over the situation, and she hated it.

"Relax, you're hyperventilating," came a cool, calm voice. "It's okay, you don't have to freak out."

Slowly, she stopped resisting, and allowed him to embrace her. Once she got over the shock, it did feel good. She closed her eyes and moved in closer.

"Are you going to explain why I woke up to find you next to me?" she whispered.

"There's only one bedroll, darling," he replied. "And the blanket is thin. I though you'd get cold. I know I was."

She nodded. "Conservation of body heat. Good, I was afraid I was going to have to punish you." It was an empty threat, and they both knew it. She might be superior still in a fight because of her crystals, but if her crystals got lost, the point was moot. Also, as amazing as crystals were for fighting, you couldn't feed yourself, or make a tent with them. Cyclonis needed Dark Ace to survive.

"Dark Ace?"

"Hm?"

"We've agreed that it's okay now. Can we get up?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I'm comfortable."

She tried to get away and was grabbed yet again. Escape wasn't an option.

"Dark Ace, let me go!" she commanded. He ignored her. "Dark Ace, that's an order!" A loud, fake snore escaped him. "I know you're not sleeping," she grumbled.

She tried to pull away, but the strain was too much for her still-tired body. It would be so much easier to give in, to lay with him…

No! She was the Master, and she wasn't going to be treated like this. _You can't do anything about it,_ came the rebellious voice in the back of her head, _so you might as well enjoy it._

The problem was, it was right. He was so warm, so comfortable, and she wanted so badly to relax into him. She did.

If she didn't think about it, it wasn't bad at all. Dark Ace was lean and muscular, and she felt encased by his warm body. He was so much bigger than her, but instead of making her feel small or insignificant, it made her feel protected.

How hard would falling in love be? He was nice enough when he needed to be, and he had been a loyal Cyclonian for about as long as she could remember. He was an amazing fighter, strong, determined, and resourceful. Thinking about it, she probably wouldn't find a better match on such short notice in all of the Atmos.

She wasn't sure how long they stayed there, but at one point, she moved a bit, and he didn't react. _Now's your chance to get away,_ her mind called, _while he's asleep._ She snuggled closer, closing her own eyes. _What are you doing!?!_ But she liked the feeling of comfort and warmth, too, so she stayed.


	3. Breakfast

I do not own the Storm Hawks.

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Breakfast on the Condor was quite enjoyable that morning, due to the fact that Piper was cooking. She seemed to take absolute joy in the little chores she used to hate. "Chocolate chip pancakes are done!" she called cheerily, bringing an entire heap over to the table.

Junko, Stork, Finn, and Radarr all leapt at it, grabbing their shares. Piper looked a bit disappointed. "Don't you want any, Aerrow?" she asked.

Aerrow blushed. "I was waiting for you to grab yours," he replied. "I thought you might be hungry."

Piper's smile returned full force, causing him to smile, too, and blush more deeply. "You take yours first," she insisted.

He tentatively shifted two onto his plate. "These look amazing, Piper!" he gushed.

Piper beamed.

Master Cyclonis was by the fire, trying to put together a makeshift breakfast, when Dark Ace finally got up. Judging by the smells, she was making toast and bacon. He lumbered into the sunlight.

"Here." Cyclonis offered him the food she had been preparing. "I'll have the second batch."

"Thanks, sweetheart," he said, kissing her cheek, "but you eat it. I'll make my own. I think you're hungrier than me."

She just stood there, blushing. "I thought we got over this last night," he grumbled. "We're beating the Storm Hawks, any way possible. I've fought and defeated more Sky Knights than any other warrior in the history of the Atmos. You've destroyed and enslaved more Terras than any other Master Cyclonis. We can survive something silly like love."

"I'm not sure if it works that way," she said softly. "I don't think it can be forced. And even if it did start to work, I know I'd question every second of the way, _Is this real? Or is this just for some personal vendetta against the Storm Hawks?_"

"Well, if you think about it, it wouldn't have been long before you started dating back on Cyclonia." She gave him a look. "How old are you? Fourteen?"

"Sixteen," she growled.

"And you've never kissed a guy before?"

"How can you tell? Wait, I don't really want to know. You're not helping! Urg, this is awkward. You're what, thirty?" she burst out.

Dark Ace looked hurt. "I'm twenty-four," he replied.

She picked at her food for a minute while his finished cooking, then they ate together in silence.

"It could be worse," he finally said. "At least you're not some Sky Knight. If I were told to date a Storm Hawk, I think I would kill my self."

"At least you're hot."

Silence.

"Oh, God, I said that out loud, didn't I?"

The Dark Ace began to laugh. "This is going to be easier than I thought."

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Short, I know…oh well. Review!


	4. Trudging

Author's Note: First of all, I want to thank Helliexx, Pascy, Nezy, and Hawk-Masters for reading and reviewing. You guys are the best! I wasn't even sure if I was going to keep writing this story, but you convinced me!

Secondly, I wanted to apologize in advance for the erratic updating rate. I mean, for "The Same Team," I basically do one chapter per day, with two chapters on my super-happy-I-got-a-lot-of-reviews days, but these chapters are different, and this story is different. So, if it seems weird that one day I put up three chapters and then I don't update for a week (okay, probably not that long), you have been warned. I'm just putting them up as soon as I finish writing them.

I do not own the Storm Hawks.

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Master Cyclonis rummaged through her servant's emergency pack. "What are you looking for?" he asked, but she just threw stuff around faster.

Finally, she came up with a small map. "I distributed a couple of packs like this, and a skimmer in the Far Side, in case disaster like this occurred. This map will lead us to the skimmer."

He smiled, giving her a quick kiss. "Only you would plan so far ahead, darling," he said. "I'm glad you're on our team."

She glared at him. "I have a name, you know. Master Cyclonis. And I expect to be called it!"

"That's not…romantic enough."

She rolled her eyes, looking for the first time like the teenager she was. "You're seriously telling me you know how to be romantic?"

He kissed her again as an answer.

"Dark Ace, you are infringing on my personal space!"

"You didn't seem to mind that much this morning, before we got up," he chuckled evilly.

"It wasn't like I had a choice! And this is going way too far! Plus, it's different; my mind doesn't work right in the morning," she protested.

"Then turn your mind off and let your emotions rule," he said, kissing her again.

"We need to get moving. We're wasting daylight," she grumbled. "If we want to get to this skimmer, we should leave."

Dark Ace smiled, and put his pack of survival equipment on his back.

"Don't get all nervous now," he said, flashing his signature smirk. "I won't bite. Much."

Cyclonis practically sprinted away.

Spending time with him was getting more and more awkward. Every time he reached out a hand to help her up a difficult step, or give her a surprise kiss, she instantly stiffened or jumped back.

She was climbing down a particularly hard boulder, his hand guiding hers, her eyes peeled on the ground. Suddenly, she looked up, to find his face closer to hers than she expected. Their lips accidentally brushed.

Cyclonis freaked out, slipping from her precautious foothold and falling on top of him. They tumbled down the slope until they came to rest on a ledge.

Strong hands clutched her. "Are you hurt?" Was that genuine worry she heard in his voice?

"I'm fine," she said shakily. His body had cushioned her fall.

Relief spread across his face.

"Um, Dark Ace? Shouldn't we be getting up now?"

"I think I deserve a kiss for that. You know, saving your life and all."

"Yeah, right. All you did was fall under me. Plus, if you hadn't kissed me in the first place I wouldn't have fallen." Cyclonis was unhappy enough with kissing him standing up, but due to her tumble, they were in a rather awkward position.

Dark Ace smiled. "If I remember correctly, you were the one who kissed me."

He pulled her closer, stealing his kiss. On the outside, Cyclonis was blushing, but secretly, so deeply that she wouldn't even admit it to herself, she enjoyed it.

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	5. Lessons

I do not own the Storm Hawks.

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"Really, you get so embarrassed whenever I kiss you. You might want to loosen up a bit," Dark Ace suggested.

Of course, this only made Master Cyclonis blush even more. She had stopped jumping out of her skin every time he tried to make a move on her, but she was still uncomfortable with him. "It might help if I were a little less surprised each time," she complained.

"You want me to warn you every time I'm going to kiss you? Fine. I'm going to kiss you now."

"What!?!" she squeaked, leaping back.

"This is what I mean," he groaned. "Now you know why I don't warn you. Anyway, you need some practice. If you weren't so freaked out about kissing, you wouldn't be so freaked out about kissing me."

She didn't say anything, but she didn't move away when he leaned in closer. Slowly, his lips touched hers.

She didn't pull back this time, but she also didn't kiss him back; she just stood there like a statue. "It's a nice start," he said, "but you really should be less afraid. I mean, you're allowed to kiss back."

"It's awkward." She looked really cute when she blushed; it lit up her delicate cheekbones. "I'm nervous I'll do something wrong."

He smirked. "First of all, you can't get more awkward then practically turning to stone whenever anyone kisses you. Secondly, that's why we're practicing."

"This is _so_ wrong."

He silenced her effectively with his lips.

This time, their kiss was longer, and sweeter. Cyclonis was just starting to relax when she suddenly stiffened again and jumped back. Dark Ace looked at her accusingly. "You're over-thinking it," he said. "Turn your giant brain off for a minute and give in to your teenage hormones!"

"Like this?" she replied, eyes lighting up mischievously. She lunged forward, placing her lips forcefully onto his. Her hands reached behind his head, pulling him in closer.

Dark Ace had the opposite reaction than her to being kissed. While she would have pulled back, he complied completely, kissing her too.

She was the one who came gasping for breath, a slight look of surprise on her face, as if she couldn't believe what she had done. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but no words came. She stood gaping like a fish out of water for a few seconds, then she closed her mouth and continued walking without a word.

Dark Ace stared at her rapidly retreating form for a few seconds, The sweet taste of her still lingered on his lips, and he didn't mind one bit.

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Rather short, but in my opinion, cute. I don't care about my opinion; I care about yours. So review!


	6. Lunch

Author's Note: I want to thank Kat-Kessla for reviewing so quickly! I don't own the Storm Hawks.

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By the time they stopped for lunch, the sun was glaring through the sky and the air was hazy with heat. They sat together in the small refuge of a scraggly tree's shade.

Dark Ace made full use of their closeness as he leaned over and kissed her. She glanced at the sun to the side, and decided that she would indeed rather stay in the shade next to her crazy servant, but only just.

"You know, all this kissing has to stop," she complained. "It's not working."

"You're supposed to be falling in love with me," Dark Ace purred. "I don't see a better way to accomplish that."

"Love isn't physical," she sighed. "I don't think it's an 'I want you' sort of thing. It's more a 'You complete me. You're my best friend. You laugh at all my jokes and make me happy when I'm sad. I know I can trust you completely and I would die for you without a second thought.'"

Dark Ace just stared, impressed. "Where did you learn that?" he asked.

"I read," came the reply. He could almost picture her nose held high in the air, despite the fact that they were both hunched over in the tiny bit of shade.

"Great, now we're trying to fall in love based on some teen romance novel you've read," he grumbled.

"Better than making out every second!" she shot back.

They glared at each other for a minute, then looked away, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Do you think I'm capable of love?"

She spoke in a small voice, so softly he could barely hear her. He turned, looking her in the eye.

"Can I give love? Am I loveable? Or am I too much of a monster to do either?"

Her eyes were wide with uncertainty. "I think you can be loved," he replied. "You're smart, beautiful, you're a great ruler, and I've seen you show mercy. I think that means you can be loved."

She stared into his eyes, violet into red, for a long time. She seemed to be unable to look away, as if she had been ensnared in his gaze. He, too, found himself almost in a trance as he stared into the unending depths.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I said last night an all," he said. "About you only being alive because I needed your powers. I serve Cyclonia…I just…lost my temper."

"It's okay," she said quietly. She dug through the bag, pulling out an apple and two hard biscuits. She handed it all to him, and he gratefully brought the apple to his mouth. However, he stopped before he could take a bite.

"You're not eating?" he asked.

"That's all we had left," she said quietly.

He handed the food back to her, despite the protests of his stomach. "You eat it. You need it more than me."

She pushed his hands back. "You're the one who's carrying all the stuff. You eat it."

His eyes narrowed, and he shoved the food back to her. "I am the adult here, and you are in my care. Now eat!" he growled.

"Dark Ace, do not make me order you to eat your lunch," she hissed.

Suddenly, he started laughing. Tentatively, she joined in. "Sheesh, we are fighting like preschoolers about who's going to eat the last of our food," he chuckled.

"Does this mean you're giving in, and eating it?" she replied, smiling.

"No," he said, wrapping it back up. "I'll save it for dinner. By then, you'll be hungry enough to give in." She gave him her most determined look, and he leaned in for a quick kiss.

She seemed to forget that she had ordered him not to do that, and she kissed back. Then they both got up and kept walking over the forsaken landscape.

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Review!


	7. Doubts

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Cyclonis and Dark Ace agreed to split their remaining food at dinner. He made sure that she got the bigger half when he was cutting everything. She didn't notice, or comment if she noticed. It was a childish thing to do, but he didn't like losing any argument.

They retired quickly, the lack of food and tiring day of hiking making feel the need to rest their weary bodies. She fell asleep immediately, but he lay awake, pondering his dilemma.

They weren't going to last much longer without food, and she was slowing him down, a lot. He was going to have to come to a decision; his life was on the line.

The sleeping girl next to him stirred, moving closer to his body warmth. He stayed as still as he could, but inside, his thoughts were turbulent.

They had run out of food; his stomach was a testament to that. If he wanted to survive, he would take all his equipment and disappear now, while she was still sleeping.

Yes, he was a loyal Cyclonian. True, he had risked his life for her before, but most of it was a spur-of-the-moment thing; he had never really thought it through. Now, there was a solid choice in front of him. Only she dies, or they both die. He was loyal, but not to that extreme.

His mind started to think of all that could happen while he was gone. He imagined her freezing to death, or catching a cold and being left unable to fend for herself. He imagined starvation. She would be lucky to meet some beast, and die quickly.

So he wouldn't take the stuff. He'd leave her with the tent and emergency First Aid, and go himself. He could even come back and look for her when he got the skimmer.

It was a stupid plan, and he knew it, but he couldn't bring himself to do anything else. He got up before he could change his mind and left the tent.

The campfire was burning down to a few embers, and the sky above was riddled with stars. There were far more stars here than in the Atmos; it was just another strange thing about the Far Side.

He knew he should have gone then and there, but he couldn't bring himself to leave, not yet. He briefly considered leaving her a letter explaining survival in the wild, but laughed bitterly at how that would sound:

_Dear Master Cyclonis,_

_Sorry I abandoned you, but I don't really want you to die. Here are some tips…_

Yeah right.

He wondered if she would miss him. She probably wouldn't miss the kissing; she had already made her opinion on that quite clear. Actually, come to think of it, he couldn't come up with a single reason that she might wish he were back, besides basic survival.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. All this trying to fall in love was getting to him. _So get up, and go!_ he ordered himself.

For some strange reason, he couldn't. He just stayed by the campfire like a naughty toddler with his hand in the cookie jar, waiting for her to come and catch him.

"Dark Ace?" She flew up, her voice filled with worry. It was pitch black and there was none of his usual body warmth next to her; where was he? She fumbled for an illumination crystal only to see her fears confirmed: the tent was empty.

"No! Dark Ace! You can't leave me! I don't know what I'd do without you! You're my most loyal Talon, you're the closest thing I have to a friend! You can't be gone!"

He was stunned by her outburst, stunned by the fact that she cared, and even more stunned by the fact that he cared that she cared. She stumbled outside the tent, eyes wide, crystal held high. Her shoulders visibly slumped when she saw his figure.

She barreled into his arms, squeezing him with a tight hug. "Don't you ever to that to me again," she whispered.

He felt a spot of wetness on his neck. Was she crying? She really cared that much? He suddenly felt very, very relieved that he hadn't left.

"Shh, it's okay. I was just out here for some fresh air. I couldn't sleep," he murmured, hugging her, rocking her until she calmed down. It was a flat-out lie, but it was easier to lie than to admit to how close he had came to abandoning her.

Like it or not, he was stuck with her.

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Oops, nearly forgot! I don't own the Storm Hawks!


	8. Doubts, Part 2

Author's note: A slightly random chapter (wait, who am I kidding, this entire story is random fluff!). Well, thank you Starfirix, Nezy, Pascy, and Helliexx for reviewing! And I don't own the Storm Hawks.

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The Dark Ace headed cheerily back to their camp, two dead rabbits hanging from his hand. When he stopped to think about it, he felt really stupid that he hadn't realized hunting and foraging was an option. Judging how easily these rabbits had been to catch, food wasn't going to be a problem.

He stopped in surprise when he heard sobs coming from near the camp. He crept forward slowly, eyes peeled for danger.

Cyclonis was sitting alone, her head in her hands, tears pouring from her eyes. Dark Ace worriedly stepped into the open.

In a second she whipped around, pointing her staff at his chest. Her violet eyes widened in surprise and recognition, and she quickly lowered her weapon, hands trembling.

Dark Ace dropped the rabbits by the embers of their fire and scooped her up, placing her in his lap. "Now, what in the world is wrong?" he asked.

"I…I woke up and you weren't there…and I thought you had left me. Again. There was no real reason for you to stay…we were out of food, and I'm just slowing you down. Tell me the truth…last night, you weren't really outside for some fresh air, were you?" she said between sobs.

"I was ready to abandon you," he admitted. He had no idea why he was saying this, but he couldn't stop. "I had decided that it was either we both die of starvation, or just you die of starvation. Rationally, I had convinced myself to go, but I couldn't leave. So I just sat at the fire like an idiot waiting for you to catch me and upset yourself. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you."

She looked at him with her wide violet eyes seeming almost vulnerable. "Where were this morning, then?" she asked softly.

He pointed at the two rabbits he dropped. "This morning I realized that we could hunt for our food, and felt extremely stupid for not thinking of it before."

Cyclonis tried to make an annoyed face, but only succeeded in causing him to laugh. She really looked cute with her nose all scrunched up. "Now I feel really silly for having you think of it first," she grumbled. She looked at the rabbits in distaste. "You get to prepare them."

She was on her tiptoes now, and their noses were nearly touching. She leaned her head to the side slightly, and ever so gently, he brought his lips down onto hers.

They would have stayed there forever if they could, but they were both hungry, and the rabbits did have to be cooked. Cyclonis started the fire while Dark Ace skinned their breakfast and prepared a pot of water. As it began to boil, he dropped little pieces of the meat inside.

Soon the stew was simmering and sending out amazing smells. Not even bothering to wait for it to cool, the two Cyclonians wolfed down their portions until nearly none was left. Dark Ace then set the second rabbit on a spit above the fire, and Cyclonis tended it while he packed up their tent.

Cyclonis wrapped their lunch up, covered up the fire, and the two Cyclonians began their hike. They had just come face-to-face with the fact that they were both human, and they both had doubts, but surprisingly, it didn't make them weak.

If they worked together, it would make them stronger.

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Hey, do you want to learn a magic trick? Press the button below, the one that says "Review chapter/story" and write something. I don't care what you put, from "I hate this story" to "update soon" to "hi." Just review!

Then the magic part: the next chapter comes up sooner!


	9. Waterfall

Author's note: Fluff is fun. This is my official fluff story. Yes, the characters are way out of character. What do you expect? It's fluff. So yay fluff!

Also, yay to reviewers! Pascy, Aerrow4eva, Kat-Kessla, and Knuxnbat, you're awesome! So you get more fluff!

I don't own the Storm Hawks.

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Stork had just managed to finish the new skimmers, so everyone was enjoying the feeling of flying around through the sky. Everyone but Piper, that is.

Piper sighed, knowing that she was probably ruining her team's fun, but she just couldn't smile about the skimmers being back. If Aerrow had his skimmer, he didn't need her to fly. There goes her great excuse to spend more time with him.

Aerrow noticed his First Officer wasn't joining the fun, and he sped back to the hanger bay to sit with her. "Hey, Piper," he said softly. "What's wrong?"

Piper sighed. She briefly considered saying, "Nothing," but she knew that Aerrow wouldn't believe her. She told him what was on her mind. "It's just, with the skimmers back up, we won't have to fly together anymore. I guess I just realized I'll miss it."

Aerrow looked deep in though. "You know, if Cyclonis is here, a skimmer would be a lot easier to spot than a person. It might be smart to continue searching for her without the skimmers."

Piper instantly brightened. "Thanks, Aerrow!" she said, leaning in. Their faces were so close, their lips almost touching—

"Awesome! I missed being in the air! But the Finnster hasn't lost his touch! Tcha-cha!" Finn skidded into the hanger bay, and both Storm Hawks jumped back, blushing. Piper hadn't gotten her first kiss, not quite yet.

As the sun rose higher into the sky, it became obvious that it was going to be a hot day. Not just any sort of hot day, either, but the type of heat that makes you want to lie down and die, even in the shade. Dark Ace was used to harsh conditions, but he found himself worrying about his Master, who had lead such a sheltered life.

Cyclonis was quite a trooper, that much was true. She couldn't have liked the heat; she was sweating, and her hair was plastered down on her head. Her face was red, and her breath came in short, quick gasps. However, she didn't complain once, she just kept trekking after him.

"Yes!" The shout of joy stopped him in his tracks. He whirled around. Had she finally lost it?

"I hear water!" she screamed, breaking into a run. He jogged after her, easily keeping pace.

Sure enough, around the next bend, there was a sparking river, and a small waterfall. She sank into it gratefully. "Ace, it's ice!" she laughed.

He allowed himself to smile, putting down their stuff before hurrying after her. Apparently, he wasn't fast enough, as she splashed him. "Now it's war," he grumbled, and hit some water back.

She giggled, darting back and forth, sloshing water towards him before coming to rest in the waterfall's spray. It poured down on her, washing away all the dirt and grime from the days of living in the wild. She closed her eyes, enjoying herself.

As soon as her attention was diverted, Dark Ace snuck up behind her and grabbed her around the waist, twirling her and dunking all but the tip of her nose. She half glared half giggled, then splashed him in the face, forcing him to drop her as she tackled him. They wrestled in the shallows, rolling around and throwing mud and water on each other.

It must have occurred to each of them how silly and childish what they were doing was, but neither cared. The Cyclonians were experiencing something that they hadn't felt in a while: they were having fun.

Finally, they slowed down, then stopped, and just lay next to each other and let the water wash over them. The icy coldness of the river felt amazing in contrast to the heat of the day.

Soon, the coldness began to get to Cyclonis, as her lips began to tint blue. She rolled instinctually towards Dark Ace, and now, they clutched each other for warmth. The realization of their proximity set Cyclonis shivering.

"You know, we should probably get out if you're that cold," Dark Ace said lightly.

"No," she replied.

"Why?"

"I'm comfortable."

He laughed, and they laid there for a while, listening to the birds and watching the sun slowly crawl across the sky.

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Okay, so you know the deal. Review!


	10. Confessions

Author's Note: I feel really bad…every time I get busy, this is the story that stops getting updated first. Well, I think it's finally starting to come to an end (there still will probably be at least three more chapter after this one, though). Ok, I'm going to stop rambling now…

Thank you Pascy, Nezy, and Aerrow4eva so much for reviewing and for being so patient. You're awesome!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Storm Hawks.

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The next day, the rain came. It pattered down softly, like a cleansing mist, but the Dark Ace knew from the color of the sky and the ominous thunder in the distance that worse was to come. Both silently packed up their tent and hiked towards one of the multiple rocky mountains, looking for a cave to shelter.

The Cyclonians were in luck, as they slipped into a thin crevice in the side of a cliff right before the sky burst and sheets of rain poured down. Lightning crackled and thunder rumbled, and they couldn't see three feet in front of the cave. Cyclonis shivered involuntarily.

Instantly, Dark Ace wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She pressed into his lean chest, craving his warmth. "Come on," he whispered in her ear. "Let's go. There will be shelter deeper in this cave. It'll be warmer."

"I like it here," Cyclonis replied. "I like just watching the rain. Can we just stay for awhile?" She was shivering, and for a moment he considered refusing, but she seemed so vulnerable and pleading. He pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her, a human blanket.

After a couple minutes, Dark Ace realized Cyclonis shaking. He drew her in closer, to feel wetness on her cheeks. It was the wetness of tears.

"Cy? What's wrong?" he whispered.

She broke down completely, sobbing in his arms. "It's this whole…stupid…thing, this trying to reach Perfect Attunement," she cried.

"Don't get upset at yourself, I mean, we knew it wouldn't be instantaneous," he said soothingly. "It just needs a bit more time to work."

She let out a laugh, a mad cackle, and she was utterly in hysterics, giggling and crying at the same time. The laughter faded, but the tears did not. "It's not that it's not working. It is working. It's working too well. I'm falling in love, and I don't want to be, and it's too late. I can't stop. I can't go back. And as soon as we get this Perfect Attunement and defeat the Storm Hawks, then what? We just go back to the way things were? This was such a stupid idea! I wish I had never thought of it! I wish that we had both just been killed in the last battle!" She buried her head in his chest, crying even harder on his shoulder, clutching him for comfort.

The Dark Ace was silent for a minute, pondering all that she said. Finally he replied, "Forget about it." She stared at him in confusion. "Forget about reaching Perfect Attunement, or fighting the Storm Hawks. It doesn't really matter, not that much."

Her eyes were wide with amazement. "You would give up defeating Aerrow for me?"

"I would give up anything if it made you happy."

She smiled weakly. "But what else is there to do, besides defeat the Storm Hawks?"

"We're in a new land. We'll have a skimmer, some crystals, supplies, and each other. That's all we really need. We can make a peaceful life for ourselves here."

Cyclonis laughed, tears still streaming down her face. "The Dark Ace, ready to become some peasant farmer for the rest of his life because it would make me happy? You know, servitude only goes so far. Why?"

She looked into his eyes, to find tears much like her own gathering there. "Isn't it obvious?" he whispered. "I love you too."

They kissed, softly, sweetly, while the rain pattered lightly outside. Then, he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks and picked her up. "Let's explore this cave," he said. "I thought I saw some light inside, and it's getting chilly in here." She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. He stood, carrying her deeper into the earth.

The crevice was getting smaller and smaller, until suddenly, they stepped into a wide-open space. There was a silent black pool in the center, and a single hole in the ceiling that water dripped through. Lightning flashed, and the entire cave glittered with brightness. The walls were all made of crystal, and it reflected the light a thousand times.

Cyclonis fumbled in her pocket for an illumination crystal, then she raised the softly glowing stone. This had a different affect; as the lighting made the crystals glitter almost painfully, the warm, gentle light caused them all to echo it in a similar glow.

Dark Ace and Cyclonis were surrounded by light.

It was a warm, soft, deeply penetrating brightness. It was beautiful.

Dark Ace pulled her towards him for another kiss.

They were in love, they had admitted it to each other and were none the worse. It was beautiful.

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Sorry it was so short. I hope you liked it! Please review.


	11. Perfect Attumenment

Author's Note: Hey! I'm sorry that this one took so long to update. Yeah, it did really take forever. I have had so many stories going, on top of schoolwork, and I've just been so tired lately…I need to sleep…anyways, I finally got re-inspired to finish this story. (This is where you grumble "Finally") Well, thanks to Helliexx, Pascy, Little Miss Seaweed Brain, Dancing-with-the-devil 1995, Storm Panther, Rita, and PaigeyLou for reviewing. This chapter is longer than most, but it's also the last real chapter. Thanks for reading this story!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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The next day, Cyclonis and Dark Ace reached the hidden skimmer. It was in moderate condition, rather rusty, but neither of them could complain. The skimmer meant speedy transportation, and with that a whole spew of new options opened up to them. They could make their way to the central city and build lives for themselves there, or they could find themselves a nice place in the wild to build a house. The bottom line was, there were only so many miles that your feet could take you before they were worn out. This skimmer ran on a Solaris crystal, so every morning it was refueled.

Cyclonis was looking at the crystal mournfully. "It's really low grade. I don't know what they were thinking, putting such a low grade crystal with such an expensive and experimental invention!" She had hundreds of Solaris crystals that were far better than this one, only they had been destroyed, back with everything else she owned, in the final battle.

Dark Ace smiled winningly, causing her heart to flutter. "Come on, you're the greatest Crystal Mage in the history of the Atmos! Surely you can do something about it?"

She closed her eyes, thinking. She didn't have her usual tools with her, but she did have some crystals, and her willpower. That was all she really needed. "Yeah." She smiled, then nodded her head, affirming him more strongly. "Yeah, that might work. It won't be first class, but I can triple its efficiency with a bit of hard work and modifications."

He smiled, sweeping her off her feet and holding her tightly. "I knew you could think of something. Nothing can stop you." He kissed her, and surprisingly enough, she didn't try to push him away, or jump back, embarrassed. Instead, she returned the kiss, melting in his arms.

"I love you, Ace," she whispered.

He laughed. "Don't forget, we have a skimmer to work on! When we're out of here and safe, then we can start proclaiming our undying love for each other."

She sighed; he was right, of course. Still, she couldn't resist not to steal another kiss before turning back to her crystal.

Piper scanned the skies, again. As fun as flying with Aerrow was, the sun was way to bright. It was making her eyes hurt, with its unforgiving glare. Covering them with a hand didn't help much, either, because then she cut off the view of the sky above her.

"What's wrong?" Aerrow asked gently. She turned with a start. He was floating behind her, glowing a soft blue, with worry in his emerald-green eyes. Surprise flashed through her own eyes. "You're all tense, and you haven't spoken in nearly an hour," he explained. "If you need someone to talk to, or a shoulder to cry on…" He trailed off, then flashed her a grin. Piper felt her heart melt.

"Aerrow…what if I said…Aerrow, I've been meaning to tell this to you for a while, but I just can't…Aerrow, do you like me?" she burst out.

Aerrow looked shocked. Whatever he thought she was going to say, it certainly wasn't that. "Yes," he replied, equally embarrassed. He was why she was upset? He didn't know he was being that obvious. Everything he did with her, he tried to do professionally, and detached, like a real Sky Knight. Having his own feeling interfere with their working was exactly what he had been trying to avoid. "I'm sorry if this is upsetting you. We don't have to search together anymore, if it makes you feel uncomfortable to be around me."

Piper turned a bright red. "That's not what I meant at all! Aerrow, I like you. I like you a lot. No, Aerrow, I love you." She looked at him desperately for any form of acknowledgement.

He smiled, looking so completely joyous and excited that her own heart fluttered, too. "Piper, I love you too. I think I always have, but I didn't want to ruin our friendship." She floated over closer to him, and their faces were dangerously close.

"_Guys, there's something unidentified on our radar. It looks like a skimmer, but the design and crystal-power readings are unusual. You better get back here!_" Stork's voice, over the radio, interrupted their special moment. Aerrow sighed.

"Duty calls."

When she looked back on it, she realized that both sides made mistakes. A lot of unnecessary violence could have been avoided if she and Dark Ace were more careful, or if the Storm Hawks had asked questions before shooting.

She and Dark Ace had been so wrapped up in their own worlds that they didn't care where they had been flying. They didn't even notice they had been spotted by the Condor until a ball of blue light barely missed hitting the pair. They rolled through the air, Cyclonis clutching Ace for dear life, as they dodged more blasts.

When she looked back on it, Piper also realized that they had made a mistake. If she and Aerrow had asked the Cyclonian pair what they were doing…but the past was the past, and regretting it wasn't going to change it at all.

Aerrow had jumped onto their skimmer, glowing bright blue with Piper's power surrounding him. Both Cyclonians glared at him, but neither moved an inch. Aerrow's eyes narrowed, and he whipped out his daggers, activating them. Slowly, Dark Ace picked Cyclonis up, placing her behind him as to shield her with his own body. Then, never taking his eyes off of the red-head teen, he carefully took out his red energy blade and brought it to blaze.

Something was off. Why wasn't Cyclonis trying to fight? Why did the two seem almost reluctant to take out their weapons? Aerrow shook his head, pushing out the distracting thoughts. The only thing that mattered was the upcoming battle.

"Titan's Might!" Piper cried, and Aerrow felt a surge in the power surrounding him as he began to glow a brighter green. The strength of ten thousand men filled him, giving him to power to face anything. Cyclonis didn't shout anything, but Dark Ace took on her purple glowing aura.

Aerrow grinned, then hopped forward into battle. There was something about losing himself in the swift movements of the dagger, in the deadly dance of metal and light, that made his blood run hot and swift through his veins.

There was something different in the way Dark Ace was fighting, though. It was almost like he was holding something back. What was different?

He released a flurry of blows, all with enough power to destroy solid rock. However, Dark Ace quickly parried them all, not moving an inch. Aerrow unbalanced after the last one, practically stumbling, but Dark Ace did not take advantage of his weakness at all. The Talon commander didn't attack him; he just stood there, his sword held high, waiting for Aerrow to attack again.

Something was definitely off. He had never seen Dark Ace purely on the defensive before! He had also never seen Dark Ace fight quite so well before. It was like he actually had something precious to protect. Aerrow knew that he was loyal to his Master, but this was a bit extreme. Again, he flung himself forward, and their blades locked. They were in a deadlock.

_Zap!_ A blue bolt from a crossbow hit the older man's hands, forcing him to drop his sword. The glowing red energy blade plummeted towards the ground.

"Tcha-cha!" came the proud cry from the sharpshooter. Finn, as he so loved to brag, never missed.

Dark Ace looked at his empty hands in shock, then looked back up. Aerrow raised his daggers victoriously. "This is for my father," he growled.

"NO!" Cyclonis screamed, despair and terror filling her sharp shriek. She pushed her servant down, violently shoving her own body in his place. Shocked, but unable to change the downward course of the blades, Aerrow plunged his weapons into her soft, undefended body.

Everyone stared in shocked silence as warm red began to ooze from the twin wounds in her stomach. Aerrow eyes widened. He hadn't meant to hurt anyone; he had only been angry and carried away.

Small tears were leaking down Piper cheeks. She may have been bitter rivals with the dark queen, but seeing her helpless body spurting out its life-blood, looking so vulnerable, brought back painful memories of Lark and friendship.

Finn, too, stared, shocked. He had never taken life too seriously. He had always been a joker. Death knocked the laughs right out of him. He hovered there on his skimmer, unsure of what to do.

Dark Ace gently cradled his Master in his arms. She was still breathing, but her eyes had fluttered closed. She looked so peaceful. Were it not for the red liquid pouring out of her midsection, he would have believed that she was just asleep.

He looked up, and Aerrow winced. The young Sky Knight expected to see hate, or contempt, or blame. There was none of those; only utter despair. "Please, Aerrow," the man pleaded, "you have taken away my reason for living. Please kill me."

Cyclonis coughed in his arms, spitting out blood on his chest. Instantly, his full attention was on her.

"I'm…so…sorry," she gasped. "Dark Ace, I l—I lov—I" another fit of coughing cut her off.

"Shh," he whispered, carefully wiping the blood off of her lips. "You'll be fine. I'll protect you. I'll save you."

There was more strength in her reply. "Dark Ace, get out of here. Save yourself."

"I'm not leaving you," he hissed.

"Why?"

"Because I love you."

She took one last look into his deep crimson eyes, then her own fluttered closed again. She was ready for death.

If this was death, it wasn't that bad. Even the pain was gone. All she felt was warm, so very warm.

Her eyes fluttered back open. A glowing purple aura had surrounded both her and Dark Ace. How was that possible? She hadn't been using the Binding on him at all. She glanced down at her stomach. Her tunic was ripped and bloody, but her own skin was unblemished.

Impossible! Except…could they have reached Perfect Attunement? How ironic. Now, when they didn't wish to fight anymore, they were granted the most powerful tool a crystal-mage and warrior duo could have. Heaven had a sense of humor.

She shakily stood up, then floated off the skimmer wing. Dark Ace, too followed suit.

Aerrow and Piper looked at the Cyclonian pair dubiously. They had always been formidable adversaries, but now with Perfect Attunement…

"We surrender."

"WHAT!?!" Aerrow looked at the dark empress in surprise. She was surrendering to him?

"We don't want to fight anymore."

The Dark Ace didn't want to fight anymore? Had the world turned upside down?

The Talon commander gave a small smile at the bewildered expression of Aerrow's face. "I think we have a little bit of explaining to do."

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Epilogue is coming immediately!


	12. Epilogue

Author's Note: Well, this is it! Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing. I would love to hear what you all think, so reviews are welcome, event though this is the last chapter. Thank you so much for reading and for being so patient. I hope you like the ending; I'm not particularly good at endings, and this one took me a while to get just right.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Storm Hawks.

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_Cyclonis's Point of View_

Aerrow smiled, his quirky little half-grin that used to annoy me so much. Now, I found that I didn't really care. It didn't bother me that he was right, or that he had won. You see, in the end, he had won. After we explained our situation to him, it was obvious that we had no supplies, no secret hidden doomsday weapons, and no backup. He could do with us whatever he wished. So far, all he had done was escort us into the Condor to talk things over more with everyone.

Although, another thing we lacked was any inclination towards evil. I guess true love does that to you, but I feel so happy, so safe with Ace, that I'm willing to give up everything.

I'm willing to give up the world.

"So, what are the two of you going to do?" the Sky Knight asked. My violet eyes narrowed. Was he taunting us? "You have no home, nowhere to go, no lives waiting for you. No one even knows you're alive. I'm curious—what's your big plan?"

Now I was sure that he was mocking us. I searched my head for a witty retort, but my mind became annoyingly blank. The only thing I had to offer was the truth.

Oh, well. My days of lying were over. Even if these children were my enemies, they were honorable people. They were good warriors. It shouldn't matter if I seemed weak to them. I wasn't fighting anymore; I was allowed to be weak.

I clung to Ace's arm, drawing strength from his proximity, before admitting to my nemeses one of the things that scared me the most. "I have no plan. I don't know what to do."

Their mouths dropped down, and they stood there gaping for a few minutes. I was surprised they believed me enough to be so shocked.

Dark Ace broke the awkward silence. "We're done fighting. We wanted to settle down somewhere peaceful, and live out our lives helping, creating, inventing, and rebuilding. We're done with war, and destruction. Do with us as you will, but please—all we want is to live our lives in peace."

Piper, the crystal mage and navigator, my greatest rival, my "best friend," stepped forward, eyes flashing. "Do you think that all of the people whose lives you destroyed wanted anything other that to live in peace? Did you think of that before you destroyed their homes and enslaved them in your factories and mines? What gives you the right to a second chance?"

I sighed. Again, only the truth would suffice. "We have no right to a second chance. The evils we have committed are unforgivable, and we realize that. We will face whatever punishment you choose to give us." I stood proud, holding my chin high, but inside I was more scared than ever before. Would they kill us? Torture us? Throw us in a prison and leave us to rot? I squeezed Ace's hand tighter. Whatever they threw at us, we would face it together. They couldn't take us away from each other, and therefore, there was nothing they could do to hurt us.

So when Aerrow stepped forward, giving his little half-smile, I didn't know whether to be worried or relieved. He extended his hand. "We also don't know what the future holds. The Farside is a strange place to us. I, for one, say that we could use a lot of help. Will you join us?"

I looked at his reassuring gaze. Behind him, the Merb face-palmed; I guess he was paranoid about what sort of diseases I might bring on the ship. The Wallop smiled encouragingly at me. The blonde smart-alek had his mouth open in complete and total surprise.

My eyes flew to her face. Of all the Storm Hawks, she was the one I had opened my heart to, even though I didn't know it at the time. She had been the one girl I could call a friend. I know it broke her heart when I turned on her, when I betrayed her. Could she find it in her heart to forgive me?

She gave me a small, hopeful smile, which in turn caused a huge grin to cover my own face. Smiling felt…good, but in a strange way. I wasn't used to the feeling. It was like the muscles on my face were rusty. I really had a lot to learn about this "being a good guy" thing.

I wasn't sure about the future, but I did know that I wouldn't face it alone. Slowly, but confidently, I placed my hands into Aerrow's, shaking it firmly. Whatever was to come, now I had friends, and I had my love. I felt on top of the world, like I could do anything. Perhaps I could, who knew?

The future was limitless. It was a good feeling to be sharing it with so many people that I already cared so much about.

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And now the story is finally over. Sorry I took so long to update! I hoped you enjoyed it. Please tell me what you think!


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